


The Craxis 3rd, Delta Squad

by knightofdei



Category: Warhammer 40.000
Genre: Astra Militarum - Freeform, Evacuation, Imperial Guard, Last Stand, Science Fiction, Very Lethal, tyranids - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-31 11:59:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10898928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightofdei/pseuds/knightofdei
Summary: Delta squad finds itself as a rearguard against a Tyranid invasion during the last moments of the planet's evacuation. How many are going to make it back to the ship?





	The Craxis 3rd, Delta Squad

The Tyranids were gaining on them. After the last trench had been overrun, Delta squad had fallen back with the rest of the regiment towards the shuttleport. The Craxis 3rd infantry had been assigned as rearguard while the last of the civilians were evacuated off the planet, along with the most valuable equipment. Of the rearguard, Delta was now at the very back, Echo squad was entirely gone, and Gamma's last survivor had been shot, suspected to have the genestealer taint.

Delta fell back and took what cover that they could along the outer ring of the shuttleport. At least the Guard still had air superiority here. The fleet was supposedly using inferno shells to cook the surface of the planet clean of all life away from the front, to try and thin the Tyranids out, and deny them the planet's biomass.

This was a thin mercy for the Craxis 3rd, and not even considered by Delta squad at this point. Grimly they settled in, already firing at the chittering hordes of chitin closing in on them. They didn't need a comissar to tell them to hold the line, which was good as theirs had been eaten by a Lictor that ambushed them running from the second trench. As if summoned, another Lictor jumped out from behind a private, attempting to cut a hole in their defense. It swung a giant claw like a scythe, straight for the private's neck, aiming true for the kill before its target even knew it was being attacked. The soldier across the street destroyed it with a spray of las-fire before it could strike a single blow. Lictors might have been sneaky, but the Deltas had learned their lesson.

But not well enough. As the soldier was distracted, a well aimed shot hit him in the chest hard enough to knock him over. The flesh-eating beetle made quick work getting through his armor, and his insides were even quicker. With a screaming gurgle, he fell and the line was weakened. His comrades to either side moved to attempt to close the gap, but the enemy still advanced.

A large shadow made itself known, coming out from behind a building. A Warrior-form had arrived, wielding a massive underslung launcher, plus a sword and whip above that, all growing organically from its 4 limbs. With a screech, it raised its sword-claw and charged the line, a small swarm of gaunts moving across the open with it. The very ground seemed to ripple as waves of rippers crawled forward at the prospect of biomass to consume.

In the face of such an onslaught, Delta squad couldn't do anything to stop them. Desperately, they once again fell back and gave more ground to the devouring swarms trying to buy more time to escape. The Warrior had other plans. Moving faster than a creature that large should seem able to, it pounced on the squad. It began laying into the screaming soldiers with its nerve-lash and natural weapons.

Seeing the devestation, the sergeant gave a last order to his second. He drew his chainsword, and called out to the monster in a clear challenge. He knew he had to hold it off long enough for his squad to make it to the last of the shuttles off world. He knew he would never get to see those shuttles himself, but he was willing to pay that price to try and buy the time they needed. He readied himself for the hardest fight of his life. The Warrior sliced him down faster than a human could react.

With the giant monster tearing through them, Delta squad finally broke. In a disorganized rout the few remaining soldiers peeled out of their cover and ran for the launch pad. Two of them were overtaken by gaunts and torn to shreds as they kept firing on the hordes, one more was shot as soon as his back was turned. Five of them, of a squad of 15 that arrived at the planet, made it long enough to see the last of the shuttles taking off, the air support leaving with it. Four saw the Valkerie already off the ground, with its ramp only starting to close. Two made it in time, and a third was pulled in just as the doors closed.

Then they were off, into the gap left by the air support that was rapidly being filled by the Tyranids fliers. A soldier moved to each side-mounted heavy bolter, firing wildly at any and all things that got close. The third soldier just slumped against the back wall, staring at the rear ramp that had almost cut them in half while cradling his lasgun. With a screech, and a large thump, a Gargoyle managed to impact on the rear of the Valkerie, and began tearing through the ramp. A claw managed to find its way through, then pulled back with an ear-piercing screech that was all but inaudible over the firing guns, the road of the engines, and the wind rushing past as they acended. A single large eye stared through the hole it had created, investigating what delicious biomass was inside this tin can in the sky. The third guardsman roared a roar like a scream of terror, and shot that large eye straight through with his lasgun. Dead, the beast slowly pealed away from the craft, and fell to the dirt far below.

The Corperal to the guardsman's left thanked him, and continued firing at the swarms outside. The guardsman didn't respond, he just stayed slumped on the floor, staring where the Gargoyle had been. Staring at the sky through the holes those claws had torn.

He stared, as the Valkerie continued into space.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at fiction I'm willing to post for people to read, so any and all critism is accepted, even if it's just to insult my ability I won't stop you!


End file.
